Kericho County to reclaim grabbed land

Governor Paul Chepkwony

KERICHO: Governor Paul Chepkwony has declared war on land barons in the current and former governments who illegally occupy public land.

Addressing more than 400 residents at the inaugural public audit of county land assetson Wednesday, Prof Chepkwony announced that his administration had set aside adequate funds for surveying and documenting all public land.

In the 2017-2018 financial year, the county government has budgeted Sh4 million for the creation of a land register and a further Sh35 million to develop county spatial plans.

"If the land maps indicate that public land is, for instance, 10 acres, we are going to survey and demarcate the block, and woe unto whoever is found to have encroached on public property," he said.

The governor ordered County Secretary Joel Bett and Land Executive Barnabas Ngeno to add to the list of public property the controversial 1,017 acres in Samburet, situated in Mau forest.

The land, which was meant for the resettlement of the Talai clan, was carved out of the forest. Other public assets include Riga Farm in Kipkelion East constituency and Chelimo estate on the outskirts of Kericho town.